ExecNav

Dark chocolate, raw mixed nuts and seeds, avocados, apples, smoked salmon, baby spinach, almond butter, cheese, hard boiled eggs, sardines, cherries, berries, to name a few. Cheap and easy to keep fresh. I also bid for overnights that are near grocery stores. Many hotels have grills by the pool to burn a steak or something on if you want something nice without having to get a second mortgage.

I save bars and crap that's high in sugar and carbs for the jogs. I'm sitting on my butt 8 hours a day and the last thing I need is a sugar crash at the start of a 2.5 hour flight.

Std Deviation

I think you also have to distinguish between line holder and reserve. Much easier as a line holder. Sitting reserve in LGA/JFK and getting used 11 hrs a month as a commuter? Tough to plan perishable meals/restock.

BlueMoon

I did it when I was a commuter and JFK based, albeit it is slightly less healthy. I'm on reserve now, but now live in base, and I usually pack for about 4 days of food. Less if I have fewer available days.

It can be done, but it takes a little more effort. Also, if you commute, just eat of your bag when stuck at the crash pad or cook and take the leftovers.

snippercr

That and guys who live in base. I rarely do 4 day trips so I don't always have to plan a lot. Just grab what ever left overs in the fridge and go. I've done 4 day trips and with enough planning, I am set. Usually a day or two before I go I make 2 meals and pack some of each that way I am not eating hte same thing over and my wife has food while I am gone.

phlyingPhil

Wow I didn't expect so many responses. Thanks for all of the ideas, I have a better knowledge base in which to work from

lakehouse

To add to this great post. Look for a sale in glass tupper wears, square is better than circle. Lock top lids are better. Avoid plastic. I do huge stir fry dishes, like 6 cups of rice, and a huge wok. If you want to be healthy use coconut oil to cook up two or three pounds of chicken, then add a sauce, curry powder, turmeric, etc is it up. Finish with frozen stir fry veggies, costco has massive bags of them, also can mix and match these to add variety. Canned black beans or other beans, and other canned veggies mushrooms etc are nice for variety and dietary ideas. Becoming a pilot is a great time to consider getting into the best shape of your life. I've gotten into weight lifting, and exercise. These ideas help with protein. If your airline is efb get a normal kit bag and use the extra space for apples, beef jerky and the life bagged granola. I also bring oatmeal, if you want to be heathy don't get the flavored sugar loaded stuff, get he big container of regular oatmeal, put in big zip lock bag, add dried cranberry and cinnamon or whatever you enjoy. I also use an old Chinese food container to cut up carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes and put each in their own ziplock bag and then put the bags in the container. Cut up some lettuce and put in large ziplock bag then keep all air out leave at top of cooler in iced area. I like the thin gel packs to line my cooler. Dry ice if there is extra being thrown away from the airplane is something I've heard people do as well. Paper plates in the kit bag for the salads. Also the tuna packs work well as a snack. Have 6 glass containers with a stir fry meal is one easy way to get a huge heathy bang for the buck. I use brown rice. You can mix it up and do Mexican style bean dishes with gb too. I have a gluten allergy so obviously my ideas are a little off from what everyone else is saying. Also pistachio and almonds are a good snack for the kit bag.

Hope it helps, I'm on my iPad and in a rush do your gonna have to decode. Good luck.

Rick

lakehouse

Also I freeze the rice dishes they reheat great, but seriously use glass! Being frozen helps keep everything cold longer. Almost every station has a microwave in e ops break room.

sevenforseven

Are you kidding? We're talking about food... in a PILOT forum man! Food and pilots go together like peanut butter and jelly - when one is present, the other one is almost always present with it!

snippercr

All we need now is a thread about beer and women and we are set.

Flyhayes

I'd buy that for a dollar! (I'm a first year f.o. on reserves so I can't afford much more than that)